During drilling operations, sensors are often utilized to measure various forces exerted on a drill string. Exemplary forces include weight-on-bit and bending forces on various parts of the drill string. These forces can affect the dynamic behavior of the drill string, and if not monitored, can result in damage to downhole components or compromised operation.
For example, during drilling operations using a downhole or mud motor, the drive shaft connecting the motor to a drill bit undergoes very high bending and torque loads during rotation, and also experiences high vibration loadings. Due to these high load conditions, the drive shaft material fatigues, which can lead to crack initiation and propagation, and ultimately failure of the drive shaft.